The present invention relates to the field of lighting systems and more particularly to recessed lighting systems and provides a structure for facilitating a completely flush recessed lighting arrangement for an enhanced and finely customizable recessed lighting installation.
Conventional recessed lighting systems offer a rivet-type installation in which structural and visually hidden portions of the light fixture are provided above and partially within a wall or ceiling barrier, and in which an engaging fixture is attached to the opposite side of the wall or ceiling with or without further rigid attachment to the portions of the light fixture on the other side. The engaging fixture, in order to hide the imperfections in the aperture extending through the wall or ceiling material, typically includes a generously proportioned cover flange. In the case of a ceiling, for example, the flange extends through the aperture, downward to a point at least below the ceiling level and then radially outward. The radial extent of the flange hides imperfections which occurred in the making of the through-hole, such as a tear in the dry wall sandwiching paper, deviations from circularity in the hole, etc.
Typically the radial extent is not flat, and curves downwardly more at the inner radial edge and usually tapers in the direction of its radial outermost extent. The taper provides more clearance space at the radial innermost extent to accommodate foreign objects, such as those formed by gauges in the dry wall, chips of torn paper at the rim, and the like. The shape of the radial extent can vary, and may include an abbreviated taper at the outermost extent for example. The object is to accommodate imperfections without further treatment and provide an outer sealing with respect to the wall or ceiling.
However, the radial design becomes a defacto part of the wall""s finish. Moreover, the fixture is typically painted at the factory in a stock color such as white or eggshell and typically in a gloss or enamel finish. Most wall coverings are non-reflective and have a light dispersive finish. The fixture finish virtually never matches the wall color. In highly stylized surroundings, such as art galleries, and custom homes where great care and attention is given to the space, and objects within the space to be illuminated, adding the hodge podge of finishing collar designs to raw need for lighting is undesirable.
Lighting systems have other requirements which continue to demand to be met, including accessibility for cleaning, light bulb and reflector changes and preferably some ability to re-direct the position of the light source. An elimination of the intrusive shape and color of a flange collar can only be reasonably accomplished while leaving these other requirements in tact.
What is therefore needed is a system which meets all of the necessary requirements for lighting system operation and servicablity, but which facilitates a more custom installation. The needed system should be as structurally secure as a conventional system and facilitate a customized installation flush with the surrounding wall or ceiling.
A flush lighting system includes a support ring for attachment, typically to the underside surface, of a lighting fixture containment space, and a finishing ring which can lockably engage the support ring, either directly using threaded members, or by the use of raised dimples on the support ring which interfits with a groove on the finishing ring. The finishing ring preferably contains apertures and radius grooves for accommodating plaster or dry wall compound. A raised abbreviated radial width inner surface transition lies at the inner most portion of the face of the finishing ring. Inside the raised transition and extending axially is an engagement structure for mating with the support ring, through either a groove or apertures for threaded attachment against a radially outwardly existing axial surface of the support ring. The aforementioned system works well with an additional fixture engagement structure which typically lies within the lighting fixture and for which an additional holding structure provides some engagement to the lighting fixture, and particularly a structure which contemplates a fixture which mounts flush with the surrounding ceiling or wall and the finishing ring.